Principal Points - "Standardized Testing--How Did We Do?"

Past Principal Points

Standardized Testing--How Did We Do?

I have posted the most recent five year average for our Achievement Testing on our website. The most interesting trend that I noticed when I put up the new results was not how AKCS is doing, but how well public schools are doing. In just about every category, the public school averages have increased their scores. This is good news for all of us because we all benefit from a better educated population. AKCS scores continue to be above the provincial averages in just about every category, but declined a bit this past year, and so the gap has narrowed somewhat. Based on data published in the Calgary Herald, AKCS comes about "middle of the pack" when compared to charter and private schools in the Calgary area--including some very elite, expensive ones--and in the top 20% when compared to public schools.

I don't see this year's scores as anything to be concerned about particularly. The main reason for any decline seems to be primarily due to the particular student populations writing the tests this year. With our smaller numbers, the scores tend to be a bit volatile which is why we only post a five year average on the website. (As an example of the volatility consider the performance of students in grade six language arts over the past five years. Mr. Hoffmann has taught for the entire time using essentially the same program, but scores at the level of excellence have ranged from 0% to 56%! What changed? The class.)

The one subject which we feel does need some attention is mathematics. While, generally, our math scores are above provincial averages, they are not as markedly so as in English. (The CTBS shows the same pattern.) This past year we implemented a new and quite difficult math program at the primary grades. The program arrived late and teachers struggled to adapt to it. We are using it again this year and will re-evaluate it in the spring. At the grade six level, our individualized curriculum is significantly different from that of Alberta's, and so it requires some fancy footwork to mesh the two. (Again, historically we have had anywhere from 10% to 43% of our students at the excellence level, so this past year's scores may be a bit of a statistical blip, but we will monitor this.)

At the grade nine level, we made significant changes to the program about four or five years ago in order to improve our students' achievement at this level. While the number achieving at the acceptable level has risen, we have not had the number achieving at the level of excellence which we would like. Part of the reason is that we have far more transfers into the school at this grade than at other grades, and in many cases, these students were already experiencing difficulty in math. Nonetheless, we are not satisfied with the number of students achieving at the level of excellence in grade nine math, and we will be making some adjustments in order to ensure that our most capable students are in fact achieving at that level.

The last thing to say about the math is that at the Math 30 level our students are outperforming the provincial average by about 4% at this point. While the number of students that have written the exam is low, and our conclusions tentative, we do expect that our students will continue to outperform provincial averages by an increasing amount over the years.

One other subject where our students' average is somewhat below provincial averages is grade nine social studies. That, however, was a split class in which grade nine and ten social studies were cycled in alternate years, and our five year average is skewed by two very low scores four and five years ago. In the past three years, our students have done very well here, so I am not concerned.

One final thought about standardized tests. Too much attention given to them can lead to teachers "teaching to the test." This doesn't mean that they know the questions in advance, but it can mean that they forego some of the more creative and interesting activities just to "do well" on achievement tests. We never want to fall into that trap. Most importantly, we want to provide a thoroughly Christian education (that is why we exist after all!), but at the same time, we want to ensure that no child takes an "academic penalty" to get it. Standardized tests simply help to keep us on track academically. The prayer, vigilance, and involvement of parents and teachers are constantly needed to keep us on track spiritually, a far more difficult task.

Brian Hazeltine, B.Ed., M.A.
Principal, Airdrie Koinonia Christian School